diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 431fffa0f3..072f535a84 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_PERLMOD_TIME_HIRES],
 #
 # Python is optional, it is used only by some of the system test scripts.
 #
-AM_PATH_PYTHON([3.4], [], [:])
+AM_PATH_PYTHON([3.6], [], [:])
 AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_PYTHON], [test "$PYTHON" != ":"])
 
 AC_PATH_PROGS([PYTEST], [pytest-3 py.test-3 pytest py.test pytest-pypy], [])